Notice: This page contains information for the legacy Phidget21 Library. Phidget21 does not support VINT Phidgets, and will not support any new Phidgets. Phidget21 will be maintained until 2020. We recommend that new projects be developed against the Phidget22 Library.

Click on the button in the menu bar to go to the Phidget22 version of this page.

Phidgets are designed to run on Mac OS 10.4 or newer, and can run on PPC, 32-bit, and 64-bit systems.

Getting Started (Libraries and Drivers)

If this is your first Phidget, we highly recommend working through the Getting Started guide for your specific Phidget device. If you already have the Preference Pane Installed and know how to use it, then you've already followed the guide and are ready to learn more about the workings behind the Preference Pane, the Phidget Webservice, and more - all specific to Mac OS.

Phidget Preference Pane

Not the go to option for controlling your device, refer users to the Getting Started guide for their Phidget...again.

It is important to keep in mind that when an example Phidget application is opened from the control panel, it holds a lock on the Phidget. Is this also true on Mac? If so, explain that this prevents any other program from accessing the Phidget. Please ensure that this example application is closed when you are running your own applications.

Checking

Summarize that we will be using code and the device manager to confirm and troubleshoot the installation, if needed.

Software

This should walk you through compiling and running basic code against the libraries as simply as possible. Find an instance that requires no additional programs to run, and that will work with any Phidget, if possible. If you have to install a compiler or interpreter of some sort on a raw Windows machine to do this, the installed software should be mainstream and free.

The point of this is to give the user tools to identify problems with the library setup that are not due to low level driver conflicts. The process should be described here (with the conclusion being the success of the check), followed by a referral to the Troubleshooting section (and content there) if failure results. See the OS - Linux#Software section for an example.

Hardware

This should show you how to use the "About This Mac" program to make sure the Phidget is attached in hardware, and what to do if not.

Troubleshooting

Make an in-depth point by point section with some of this content plus more:

Confirm prerequisites

Walk through ALL known conflicting drivers

Suggest attributes of unknown conflicting drivers

Get people to the troubleshooting page if a non-OS problem is suspected

See the Linux Troubleshooting page for a briefer example. It is expected that with driver conflicts, this section will be much larger, with screenshots, etc. If you need to cover troubleshooting a problem with the webservice, you should put the content in the Webservice section below, and link to it.

Installing Libraries and Drivers

Phidgets Preference Pane

Explain the control panel

The examples in the preference pane are as is, and are intended for demonstration purposes. They are not suitable for user applications.

It is important to keep in mind that when an example Phidget application is opened from the preference pane, it holds a lock on the Phidget. This prevents any other program from accessing the Phidget. Please ensure that this example application is closed(the Phidgets Preference Pane can still be running) when you are running your own applications.